How much do you really know about aromatherapy?

Overview of Aromatherapy

• Aromatherapy is an alternative medicine practice that uses aromatic materials such as essential oils and aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological and physical well-being.
• Aromatherapists utilize blends of essential oils that can be used as topical application, massage, inhalation or water immersion.
• There is no good medical evidence that aromatherapy can prevent, treat or cure any disease.
• The use of essential oils for therapeutic, spiritual, hygienic and ritualistic purposes goes back to ancient civilizations.
• Aromatherapy as a treatment first appeared in print in 1937 in a French book by René-Maurice Gattefossé.
• Aromatherapy products, and essential oils, may be regulated differently depending on their intended use.
• Evidence for the efficacy of aromatherapy in treating medical conditions is poor, with a particular lack of studies employing rigorous methodology.
• Aromatherapy carries a number of risks of adverse effects and with this in consideration, combined with the lack of evidence of its therapeutic benefit, makes the practice of questionable worth.
• Essential oils can be extremely toxic when ingested or absorbed internally.
• Oils both ingested and applied to the skin can potentially have negative interactions with conventional medicine.
• Aromatherapy spray was recalled after it was found to be contaminated with Burkholderia pseudomallei, the bacteria that causes melioidosis, which led to four cases of the disease and two deaths.
• There is no conclusive evidence on how aromatherapy works with pain management.